Wallace, Maja, Ajayi: West Brom injury news update ahead of Hull City clash as play-off race intensifies

Championship promotion hopefuls West Bromwich Albion return to action this weekend with a home clash against a relegation-threatened Hull City team.

The Baggies earned a hard-fought 1-1 draw against high-flying Burnley in their most recent away game at Turf Moor with Zian Flemming’s 23rd minute goal cancelling out an opener just three minutes earlier from John Swift. It marked Albion’s 17th draw of the campaign, the most of any Championship team as the race for top six football continues to intensify, with Coventry falling to a first defeat in six matches and Bristol City earning a solid draw on the road against Sheffield United.

Tony Mowbray knows his side will need to convert more of those draws into wins in the latter stage of the season as he aims to secure his side’s place in the play-offs and achieve promotion back to the top-flight for the first time since 2021. Ahead of a huge game at the Hawthorns, we take a look at the latest West Brom injury and suspension news as Mowbray faces a number of key selection decisions.

West Brom injury news

Darnell Furlong - suspended: The right-back will serve the second game of his three-match suspension after Saturday's red card against QPR. Albion appealed the ban on Monday but the Football Association upheld it and rejected claims of wrongful dismissal, via Express & Star.

Kyle Bartley - doubt: Experienced centre-back Bartley does not often play all three games of a three-match week and failed to even make the squad for the draw with Burnley. The 33-year-old has a long-standing knee issue which required surgery earlier this year and it could simply be the case that he was rotated with this game in mind.

Semi Ajayi - out: Semi Ajayi has struggled with hamstring issues throughout the campaign and is targeting a return for mid-April.

Jed Wallace - out: Midfield stalwart Jed Wallace picked up an injury against Millwall last month and not expected to be back in the matchday squad until the end of the international break.

Josh Maja - out: Star striker Josh Maja has smashed in 12 in 26 this season and is currently working his way back to full fitness after sustaining an ankle injury in mid January. He has missed the last 11 games but Mowbray is confident fans will see the striker before the end of the season in a crunch period for the Baggies.

Tony Mowbray encouraged by recent displays

West Brom boss Tony Mowbray claimed he is a big admirer of predecessor Carlos Corberan but says the players are now getting used to his philosophy and are improving with each passing week.

He commented, via the Express & Star: "I'm a fan of Carlos and he played slightly different to how I do, he set his team up differently. Yet when I got here they were fifth or sixth in the Championship and we still are. We're maintaining that sort of form, just playing a different way.

"The players are coming round to my way of playing now. It was a bit of a struggle early on because they were a bit stuck between playing on the front foot, being aggressive, stepping forward rather than back, because they'd been coached to play in a block and make it tough for teams.

"The lads told me the first Burnley game was a bore draw at home, 0-0, but this was a decent football match, two teams trying to win."

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